Press Releases

Homes with Blue Bathrooms Sell for $5,400 More than Expected

For-sale listings with cool, neutral wall colors sell for more money, according to Zillow analysis; homes with white, yellow or red wall colors can sell for less than expected

Jun 1, 2017

SEATTLE, June 1, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- A fresh coat of paint in the right color may help sell a home for more money. According to a Zillow analysis, homes with walls painted in shades of blue or light gray may sell for as much as a $5,400 premium.i

Zillow's 2017 Paint Color Analysis looked at more than 32,000 photos from sold homes around the country to see how certain paint colors impacted their sale price on average, when compared to similar homes with white walls.

Homes with blue bathrooms, often found in hues of powder blue or light periwinkle, sold for $5,440 more than expected, the highest sales premium of all colors analyzed. Walls painted in other cool, natural tones like pale gray or oatmeal were also present in top-performing listings.

A home's exterior color may also have an impact on its sale price. Homes painted in "greige," a mix of light gray and beige, sold for $3,496 more than similar homes painted in a medium brown or with tan stucco. For a pop of color, homes with front doors painted in shades of dark navy blue to slate gray sold for $1,514 more.

Some colors may actually deter buyers. Homes with darker, more style-specific walls like terracotta dining rooms sold for $2,031 less than expected. However, a lack of color may have the biggest negative impact as homes with white bathrooms sold for an average of $4,035 below similar homes.

"Color can be a powerful tool for attracting buyers to a home, especially in listing photos and videos," says Svenja Gudell, Zillow chief economist. "Painting walls in fresh, natural-looking colors, particularly in shades of blue and pale gray not only make a home feel larger, but also are neutral enough to help future buyers envision themselves living in the space. Incorporating light blue in kitchens and bathrooms may pay off especially well as the color complements white countertops and cabinets, a growing trend in both rooms."

Selecting the right paint color is one of many factors that may affect why a home sells faster or for more money. Walls painted in cool neutrals like blue or gray have broad appeal and may be signals that the home is well cared for or has other desirable features. Sellers can also consult Zillow's Owners Dashboard to see in real time how their listing is performing compared to similar ones on the market.

Room Type

Color

Color Description (what this
color looks like in homes)

Effect(on
average, how
much more or
less the home
sold for)

Most Common
Metro

Kitchen

Blue

Light blue to soft gray-blue

$1,809

Charlotte, NC

Kitchen

Yellow

Straw yellow to marigold

- $820

Detroit, MI

Bathroom

Blue/Purple

Light powder blue to periwinkle

$5,440

Philadelphia, PA

Bathroom

White/No Color

Off-white or eggshell white

- $4,035ii

N/A

Bedroom

Blue

Light cerulean to cadet blue

$1,856

Philadelphia, PA

Bedroom

Pink

Light pink to antique rose; often found in kids' rooms

- $208

Houston, TX

Dining Room

Blue

Slate blue to pale gray blue; navy blue also found in dining rooms with white shiplap

$1,926

Boston, MA

Dining Room

Red

Brick red, terracotta or copper red

- $2,031

N/A

Living Room

Brown

Light beige, pale taupe, oatmeal

$1,809

Chicago, IL

Living Room

Blue

Pastel gray, pale silver to light blue, periwinkle

- $820

Baltimore, MD

Home Exterior

Gray/Brown

Greige - mix of gray and beige

$1,526

N/A

Home Exterior

Brown

Medium brown, taupe or stucco

- $1,970

N/A

Front Door

Gray/Blue

Navy blue to dark gray or charcoal

$1,514

N/A

Zillow

Zillow® is the leading real estate and rental marketplace dedicated to empowering consumers with data, inspiration and knowledge around the place they call home, and connecting them with the best local professionals who can help. Zillow serves the full lifecycle of owning and living in a home: buying, selling, renting, financing, remodeling and more. In addition to Zillow.com®, Zillow operates the most popular suite of mobile real estate apps, with more than two dozen apps across all major platforms. Launched in 2006, Zillow is owned and operated by Zillow Group (NASDAQ:Z and ZG) and headquartered in Seattle.

Zillow and Zillow.com are registered trademarks of Zillow, Inc.

i The Zillow Paint Colors that Sell Analysis measured how certain room type and paint color combinations impact the sale price of a home. Zillow looked at more than 32,000 photos from listings around the country that sold between 2010 and Feb. 2017, to identify what paint colors may lead to a home selling for more, or less than the home's Zestimate when compared to homes with white walls. The analysis controlled for all other wall colors, square footage, the age of the home, the date of the transaction and location. Color and room combination price effects are estimates of the average premium/discount, but may not indicate a true difference in value compared to white.